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Rangers acquire RHP Ryan Dempster from Chicago Cubs

The Texas Rangers announced this afternoon that the club has acquired right-handed pitcher Ryan Dempster from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for minor leaguers Christian Villanueva and Kyle Hendricks.

Dempster, 35, has gone 5-5 with a 2.25 ERA (26 ER/104.0 IP) in 16 games/starts for the Cubs this season. Opponents have batted .210 (81-386) with 27 walks and 83 strikeouts. His 1.038 WHIP this season ranks 6th in the majors and 3rd in the National League. Dempster, who was scheduled to start for the Cubs tonight against Pittsburgh in Chicago, has gone 5-2 with a 1.40 ERA (7 ER/45.0 IP) in his last 7 starts spanning a stint on the disabled list. He averaged 3.89 runs of support per 9 innings, the 12th-lowest figure among National League qualifiers. He has seen two stints on the disabled list this season, April 18-May 3 with a right quadriceps strain and June 16-July 8 with a sore right lat muscle.

Dempster originally signed with the Texas organization after being selected in the third round of the 1995 June draft. He has a career record of 117-121 with a 4.31 ERA over 535 games/310 starts with Florida (1998-2002), Cincinnati (2002-03), and Chicago-NL (2004-12). He is a two-time All-Star (2000 & 2008).

Hendricks, a right-handed pitcher, has gone 5-8 with a 2.82 ERA (41 ER/130.2 IP), 2 complete games, and 112 strikeouts against 15 walks in 20 games/starts with High-A Myrtle Beach this season. The 22-year-old was originally selected in the 8th round of the 2011 June draft out of Darmouth.

Villanueva batted .285 (107-375) with 19 doubles, 10 home runs and 59 RBI in 100 games with High-A Myrtle Beach. The 21-year-old right-handed batter and thrower has spent his entire career with the Rangers after signing as a non-drafted free agent on August 17, 2008 out of Mexico.